3. Ong’s Hat
Ong’s Hat is located in the Pine Barrens, near Pemberton. It was founded in the 1700s as a tavern and a stagecoach stop. The origin of its name is unclear, but one legend says that it came from a hat that was thrown into a tree by a man named Ong, who was angry at his lover. The tavern was a popular spot for travelers, hunters, and smugglers, until it burned down in the 1800s. The village gradually declined, and the last residents left in the 1930s. Today, you can see the ruins of the tavern, the cemetery, and some foundations. You might also hear about the Ong’s Hat conspiracy theory, which claims that the village was the site of a secret experiment that opened a portal to another dimension.